


The Political Animal

by enigmaticblue



Category: Sanctuary (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-10
Updated: 2011-06-10
Packaged: 2017-10-20 07:18:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/210160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/enigmaticblue/pseuds/enigmaticblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>James had warned Declan about Helen Magnus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Political Animal

**Author's Note:**

> Written for sanctuary_bingo and the prompt “Firewall”. With a tip of the hat to penknife, who probably has a better grasp of Declan’s character than I do.

“There are two things you must know about Helen Magnus.” James is using the tone of voice that indicates he’s imparting a bit of wisdom for when Declan takes over.

 

Declan has lost track of how many things are absolutely necessary to remember about Magnus, but the topic usually comes up after James has dealt with her one way or another, and Declan has been around long enough to file away every bit of information he can get.

 

“The first is that she hates politics, although she can manage quite well,” James continues, taking a sip of brandy.

 

Declan nods and makes himself a little more comfortable in the big, overstuffed chair in James’ study. Having met Magnus on several occasions, Declan can’t disagree with James’ assessment. “And the second thing?”

 

“The second thing is that you’ll need to manage her at times.” A sardonic smile graces James’ face. “The secret is to do it without her realizing. Helen enjoys deviousness when it’s used to her benefit.”

 

Declan isn’t sure he likes the sound of that. “And if it’s not to her benefit?” he asks, because it pays to be prepared, and one of the Five has already gone off the rails.

 

James grimaces. “Then I would suggest doing your job and laying low for as long as it takes Helen to realize you’ve done her a favor.”

 

“Let’s hope it never comes to that,” Declan says, because he doesn’t like the idea of making an enemy out of Helen Magnus.

 

He remembers that conversation well, as he remembers most of his conversations with James. Declan is no fan of politics either, but James had taught him well, and he knows how to finesse, how to goad, even how to lie with a straight face. The truth is, Declan doesn’t have the cachet of being one of the Five, nor does he have the Magnus name, and so it behooves him to make friends wherever he goes.

 

That ability pays off in spades after the mess with Big Bertha.

 

Declan understands why the other heads of house are angry with Magnus; he had been furious, too, for about half a day. And then he remembers another piece of advice James had given him, about Magnus being headstrong and a bit impetuous, and how it’s sometimes best to let her have her way and be ready to mop up later. And, oh, don’t bother getting angry, because she’s been that way for well over a century.

 

In truth, Declan can’t think of anyone more suited to running the sanctuary global network, and so when he hears the rumblings of another coup—and damn that bloody tosser Wexford, anyway—he decides to take steps.

 

The other heads want an apology from Magnus, he’s fairly sure, which is something that Magnus won’t give them in this lifetime. And she won’t beg to keep her position, or try to talk them into it, either, because she’s just that sure she’s right.

 

Those rumblings are a big part of the reason why Declan goes back to Old City with Magnus after Mumbai, rather than returning to London to take care of his own house. He wants to make it clear where his loyalties lie.

 

And he makes a lot of phone calls, drumming up support for Magnus, reminding them all of why she’d been put in charge in the first place, reminding them that she’d risked her life to save Bertha. He uses Magnus’ own words a lot—that what counts is what a person does after the crisis is over, and he reminds them that she’d taken full responsibility for the decisions she’d made alone.

 

He’s diplomatic with some, sharp with others. Ravi hates Wexford nearly as much as Declan does, although the other man is a little less secure in his position at the Mumbai Sanctuary than Declan is in London.

 

But then, Ravi hadn’t spent a decade learning the ropes from James Watson, which makes a difference.

 

In short, Declan does what James had taught him to do—he manages Magnus, and is a little surprised at his own success when the other heads vote Magnus in and Wexford out.

 

Surprised, and not a little bit smug, particularly when the conference call with Magnus is done and she looks over at Declan with smile and a twinkle in her eye. “Cheeky bastard,” she says, and it sounds like a compliment.

 

Declan can’t smother his own grin. “It looks like my work here is done.”


End file.
